Cordless phones are more of a health risk to young people than mobiles,
according to new university research.

In a study of almost 400 Wellington intermediate pupils, adjunct Victoria
University researcher Mary Redmayne found pre-teens were more likely to
suffer headaches if they made long or frequent calls on cordless phones or
cellphones.

The research, to be published in theEnvironmental Health journal this week,
also found high users of cordless phones more commonly experienced
tinnitus, or ringing in their ears.

In a separate study, the PhD candidate discovered year 7 and 8 students
talked on cordless phones for far longer than on their mobiles, meaning it
was the home line exposing them to the highest doses of potentially harmful
radiation.

“People are pretty poorly informed about how this technology works – many
people don’t realise that cordless phones are actually cellphones,” Ms
Redmayne said.

“Modern cellphones use the lowest amount of power that they need to
transmit, but a cordless phone always works on full power.”

Her population-adjusted research found a significant association between
teens’ radiofrequency exposure and short-term health issues – but
international research suggested the long-term health risks were far more
serious, she said.

“The highest category of use – over half an hour a day – in many studies
has shown an increased risk of glioma, a malignant [brain or spine] tumour
that is often fatal. Several studies have also shown an increased risk of
acoustic neuroma – a little tumour on the nerve between the ear and the
brain.”

Other research papers showed male fertility was also adversely affected,
this time from carrying a cellphone in a pants pocket. While many held that
the science was inconclusive overall, Ms Redmayne said governments and
individuals should be paying attention. “There was certainly enough to be
concerned about.”

Sophie Walker, of the National Centre for Radiation Science, who advises
the Ministry of Health, said the latest research showed conclusively that
radiofrequency radiation had an effect at the cellular level. “But it’s
very hard to say whether that translates into things like headaches or
short-term effects people report . . . it’s a very hard link to make.”

The jury was also still out on long-term health effects. “Radiofrequency
has only been used within the wider population for the last 30 years, so
true long-term studies are really still under way. Really conclusive stuff
hasn’t yet been established.”

But there was no doubt such a robust study showing irrefutable evidence
that radiation had negative health effects would be taken seriously by
scientists and governments. “It would have effects across the entire world.”